CH 54

Chapter 54: The Second NPC Goes Online along with New Ways to Set Up a Stall!

The performance of the players did not disappoint Chu Guang.

It took only two days for the two players of metallurgy to create the tools needed for the "proprietress of the weapon shop".

Incidentally, the blast furnace was even improved, which ingeniously solved the air bubbles in the primitive steelmaking castings.

The finished casting included a boring tool, a turning tool, and a milling tool.

Although they were all castings, the strength was still very reliable. If it was well maintained, it would be no problem to use them for a few months.

In addition, there is a set of double-rail threaded calipers modified with screws, steel bars, and scrap gears. One side of the caliper is connected with a winch with a drive shaft and a grip.

This thing can convert torque into horizontal thrust through gears. Every time the winch rotates one scale, it can push the holder on the caliper horizontally by one millimeter.

Although this thing is not as efficient as an electric machinery, in millimeter-level precision control processes, it could still be used.

The only thing that made Chu Guang want to complain are the IDs of the two brothers who completed these commissions.

One is called [Who_will_smell_my_athlete's_foot] and the other is [I_have_to_go_to_the_bathroom].

What kind of names are those... 

In short, according to the mission at the warehouse, the two got a huge sum of 80 silver coins, with the average being 40 coins per person.

According to the two’s plan, they aim to farm a one-week contribution first and strive to save 2000 points as soon as possible, so that they can buy a piece of land in front of the nursing home.

The rewards of making tools gave them a taste of hope.

They plan to open a workshop at that time, specializing in metallurgy and forging.

"... Are these tools enough?" At the door of the weapon shop, Chu Guang placed the wooden basket with metal tools on the table in front of Xia Yan.

Xia Yan glanced at the tool in the basket, then reluctantly nodded.

"It's okay. With these tools, at least there’s no problem making bullets. If I can get seamless steel pipes, I can help you make some simple iron-barreled rifles... Did you buy these?"

"The players made it."

"Made it?" Xia Yan glanced at Chu Guang in surprise, "I didn't expect your people to have this craft."

Chu Guang said with a smile.

"How does it compare to Boulder City?"

"Boulder City is huge, depending on whom you compare with."

Xia Yan installed the threaded caliper on the wooden table and continued faintly.

"Not everyone is poor like us, there are also regular militias armed to the teeth. They have powered exoframes, dual-engine aircraft, neural-access drones, half-track support vehicles, and things that I don’t even know the name of."

"Oh? They are that strong?" Chu Guang said with a smile, "Then why didn't I see them coming here?"

"Who knows, maybe they aren‘t interested. There is nothing good in the outskirts."

Xia Yan answered vaguely.

In fact, she didn't finish her sentence. Although the militias in Boulder City did have some good things, it was obvious that not all the militias were armed to the teeth.

For example, exoframes, which she had learned were only in the double digits in the entire militia, were mostly inferior products copied after the war, with both their power source and weapons relatively backward.

Only a few of them are pre-war equipment that has not broken down. The power source is a He3 cold fusion battery that they couldn’t reproduce.

As for drones, aircrafts, support vehicles and the like that sound scary, in fact, were much more effective in deterrence than actual combat.

This applied especially for close combat, since cannon fodder is always the most cost-effective choice. In the slums of Boulder City, it only takes 13 years to go from a baby to a soldier. The "maintenance cost" is nothing more than a nutritional cream that can be made using cockroaches, spiders, and mice.

Although Chu Guang has always believed only half of what this woman said, these interesting settings can be added to the official website database.

Both the closed alpha testers and future players would definitely like it.

...

At dusk.

The players returned to the outpost one after another.

Chu Guang noticed that in the open space in front of the north gate of the outpost, several players had already set up a stall.

And one of the most popular stalls was actually Ya Ya's.

"Mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, don't miss Ya Ya’s delicious mushrooms."

"After a day's hard work, don't you want to reward yourself with a pot of delicious mushroom soup?"

"It’s really delicious!"

Unable to get a mission from the NPC and too embarrassed to ask other players to feed her every day, Ya Ya could only choose to set up a stall.

Except for the mushrooms used to complete the punishment task, she left herself about 10kg of mushrooms, and with the mentality of giving it a try, she set up a stall and began to sell it.

The passing players quickly gathered around.

"Can you really eat this mushroom?"

"Has it been cooked?"

"Are those mushrooms male or female?"

"Can people with sensitive skin eat it?"

"Can you get high after eating this?"

"You can eat it, you can get hi- ah, no, you won’t get high! If you don’t believe me I can show it to you!" Ya Ya picked up the mushroom and stuffed it into her mouth, gnawing on the spot, bouncing on the spot to indicate that she is still alive. 

Seeing that the stall owner had eaten it herself, the players surrounding the stall did not hesitate anymore and took out the copper coins in their hands.

Just like Ya Ya said, a kilo of mushrooms is not expensive, it only sells for 3 copper coins, which is much cheaper than the food sold in the granary.

The new version of the game has been released for two days, so most players can afford it.

"One kilo for me please. I will try some mushroom porridge today."

"Roasted mushrooms sound good, too."

"Boss, one kilo for me as well, but I will return it if it doesn't taste good."

"It’s a shame that you can’t  get high. If you have some shrooms next time, please let me know. I want to see Klee call me hubby."

"FBI, Open Up!"

In less than five minutes, the 10 kilos of mushrooms piled on the stall were all sold out.

Looking at the sixty small copper pieces in her hand, Ya Ya's eyes almost teared up.

This, is this is the feeling of being rich?!

It's really not easy!

Although……

In fact, it is only 6 silver coins.

On the other hand, when the players who bought the mushrooms passed by the weapon shop, they suddenly found that the wooden table in front of the weapon shop proprietress had some tools that they hadn't seen before.

As they all know, the designs of Wasteland Online are quite detailed, and sharp-eyed players have recognized that the things on the table are tools for processing equipment.

In other words...

In the future, they can refine their materials or let the NPC help them to upgrade their equipment!

"Are you Kiri from Empyrean?"

"Proprietress, are you married?"

"Are you stupid, she is the mercenary that the administrator rescued before! Did you forget that?"

"I know, but if you take it seriously, then you will be the foolish one."

Xia Yan looked at the surrounding players with a dazed expression.

Although she didn't understand what they were talking about, she still remembered what Chu Guang said to her. She looked at them with a cool expression, and read her lines word by word.

"Hello, I am Xia Yan from the weapon shop, how can I help you?"

"This NPC doesn't look very smart."

"This is normal, it’s already not bad that such a large server can be compatible with one or two smart NPCs!"

"5mm groove-less iron barrel rifle, quality [inferior quality]... Damn, 100 silver coins for inferior quality! Such a rip off."

"Sigh, I can't afford it."

"Wuwu, she is really Kiri from Empyrean, I can feel the aura of wealth from the price list."

Xia Yan: "..."

These people are so annoying, why do they talk so much?

Do they want to buy it or not!

However, Xia Yan is a little relieved that these people are indeed very friendly, as Chu Guang said.

Although it's not polite to stare at people, at least they won't do irrational things just because she ignored them.

In Taverns in Boulder City.

Ninety-nine percent of fights are caused by A ignoring B or A staring at B.

...

After the players went offline, there was an extra post on the official website of Wasteland Online, and the popularity of the post quickly rose to the first hot post of the day.

[Mole’s Daily: Shelter No. 404 welcomes NPC No. 2! A weapon shop proprietress - Xia Yan! ]

The_Escaping_Mole: [Hello everyone, I am a red-nosed mole who fled from the canyon. There is not enough land in the manor, so I decided to hide in the wasteland for a while.]

[Now back to the main subject, let’s talk about the newly added NPC Xia Yan today! ]

[This NPC was actually added yesterday, but it was probably during the debugging stage yesterday, because although she was sitting at the table, there was a closed sign at her shop. Today, not only was the sign taken off, but there were also guns hung on the shelves and an extra set of tools on Proprietress Xia's desk! I boldly speculate that this will be our Kiri in the future. I don't know when the iron barrel rifle with + 14 dmg will be released. (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

[In addition, I’ve attached my rough drawing for reference only, please don’t curse if you don’t like it. ]

[Proprietress_Xia.png]

Although Wasteland Online did not support in-game screenshots, it did not prevent players from drawing the characters in the game with their hands.

For example, Brother Mole was actually very good at drawing, and his drawing was actually very life-like.

Old White: "Damn, your drawing is very good!"

Night Ten: "It’s life-like!"

Teng_teng: "Instant like! Sister Mole, you are so awesome! (Cute emoji) (Cute emoji)"

The_Escaping_Mole: "Hey hey, actually, I used to study fine art, but after I failed the final exam, I switched careers. Here is a little suggestion for the dev. You can add a cyberpunk-style zigzag studded belt and goggles to the new NPC. Change her clothes to jeans and white shirts, and red hair will be even cooler! Of course, it’s just a suggestion."

Quit_smoking: "Boss, can you draw Boss Dawn too! I am more interested in him! (Tears)"

That_touch_of_longing: "Yes, yes, no one wants to see the NPC in the weapon shop, I want to see what the administrator boss looks like! This official website doesn't even have a single concept art!"

The_Escaping_Mole: "One minute, I'll draw it now. But what's so interesting about male NPCs?"

Irene: "No rush, I will be online tomorrow night anyway. (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ”

Quit_smoking: "&%@#!"

The discussion of Today's official website was completely focused on Xia Yan. Chu Guang glanced at the picture drawn by Brother Mole, and then at Xia Yan, who was sitting in the corner memorizing lines.

It's quite similar.

But would she really look better if a belt and goggles were added?

Chu Guang didn’t know.

Noting Chu Guang's gaze, Xia Yan flinched back nervously.

"What are you looking at..."

"Nothing, just thinking about how many days you haven't changed your clothes."

Chu Guang looked at her right leg. The injury there was almost healed, but the blood on the trousers still remained, which looked somewhat unhygienic.

‘Change, change clothes?’

Xia Yan became even more nervous, her face turned pale, and then red, and repeatedly changed back and forth.

"Relax, I just want to ask about your size… tsk," Chu Guang shook his head halfway through, "Forget it."

It's really inappropriate to ask this himself.

He will probably give Teng Teng a task tomorrow and ask her to measure it.
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